Meditation is a special psycho-physical state in which a person remains for a certain period of time. As meditators themselves note, this is a stream of pure consciousness, without any content. In order to correctly enter a state of trance and meditate, you should be stocked with patience, diligence, knowledge and the desire to learn.
History of Meditation
Some of the earliest sources on meditation date back to 1500 BC and go back to the ancient traditions of India. They consist of the religious scriptures of the Vedas and reflect ancient Indian ways of meditation. In the 6th century BC, the development of various meditative forms was laid - ancient Greek, Buddhist, Taoist.
Among Christians, the first to practice meditation were hermits. who lived in the deserts of Egypt in the 4th century AD. Their methods were reminiscent of traditional Buddhist and Zen meditation practices. In the 11th and 12th centuries AD, Zen meditation gained incredible popularity in Japan. However, meditation found a special focus and specific development in Buddhism and Indian yoga, where it was used as one of the methods for achieving complete liberation of energy.
Today, meditation is included in the religious and national cultures of most eastern countries. and not only. For example, in the United States, meditation received the greatest impetus for its introduction into society in the 60s/70s of the last century and was promoted by the hippie movement. They considered meditative practice one of the basic means of achieving complete harmony with the outside world. Despite the fact that the hippie movement ceased to exist, meditation still spread in developed Western countries.
In Russia, the craving for meditation arose during the perestroika period, reaching its peak in the early 1990s. Now meditation is used in modern psychoanalysis (in the Jung school, for example), setting itself the goal of integration and knowledge of the individual.
Types of Meditation
Basically, meditation is divided into 2 main types, which include:
- unidirectional meditation (contemplation, concentration on any one object - for example, on a visual image, one’s own breathing, consciousness with the goal of immersing in a meditative state to gain enlightenment);
- meditation on emptiness (the practice of entering a state of self-awareness and self-perception as an integral unit of the world and environment; caused by enlightenment).
It is believed that all types of meditation contribute to internal harmonization, establishing peace of mind, tranquility, relief from stress, relaxation, and cleansing the mind of worries and extraneous thoughts. Most of them, especially those associated with psychotherapeutic exercises, recommend immersing yourself in a meditative state with a surge of muscle relaxation (relaxation). As modern experts note, any type of meditation can be mastered at an acceptable level during half-hour daily classes for 6 months.
Meditation Basics
Meditation is based on passive and dynamic methods of exercise.. Passive meditation is associated with a kind of “disconnection” from the real world and environment. It’s like falling out of the material and entering the mental. Mastering it will require a lot of practice, time and training. It is also important to follow certain rules that will allow you to correctly comprehend this technique. At the moment of passive meditation, you need to take a special position. The most comfortable of them are: half lotus, lotus or diamond, simply lying on your back, sitting cross-legged, reclining in a chair with your back straight.
Dynamic meditation is based on exercises that are related to activities that are actually happening at the moment. It serves as a way to increase the stability of psychological processes and a means for developing supersensible perception of the environment. The best time to practice this meditation is in the morning.
The basics of meditation also provide for a number of prohibitions on meditative exercises in certain situations: you cannot exercise against the background of mental and physical fatigue, extreme emotional outburst, or after eating (it is best to meditate on an empty stomach or while walking 1 hour after eating). The time of meditation is also important: in the evening - from 19 to 20 o'clock or in the morning - from 4 to 8 o'clock. The optimal number of workouts is from 3 to 5 per week.
Meditation technique
To immerse oneself in a trance (a special state during meditation), various techniques, also called meditative practices, are widely used. In general, meditation techniques are divided into the following categories:
- didacticopropaedeutic;
- psychotherapeutic;
- philosophical and religious;
- iconic.
There are hundreds of ways to enter a meditative state, but the most common of them is complete concentration of attention on a monotonous and repetitive action. It is common to almost all meditation techniques. The basis can be physical or mental action.
In the first case, this means fingering beads, concentrating on the rhythm of breathing, reading mantras, performing ritual dances, etc., in the second, concentrating on the pulsation of the astral body, on the chakra, etc. The basic condition for such a technique is to avoid mental stress. Special meditative postures are also common, facilitating the technique of deep immersion in a state of pure consciousness.
Correctly used meditation technique introduces a person into a special state of “thoughtlessness”, trance., in which the awareness of one’s own “I” disappears, a pleasant feeling of dissolution in the environment, detachment from the mortal, arises. All desires and thoughts disappear, a state of absolute and complete peace is formed. All this ultimately causes illumination by the highest light of a person’s inner consciousness and a mood of inexpressible bliss is established.
Types of Meditation Techniques
Based on the objects of concentration, there are several types of meditation techniques:
- Vipassana meditation (own consciousness);
- trataka meditation (mirror reflection or candle);
- Anapanasati (breathing) meditation;
- anahata nada, shabd, naam (inner sound);
- transcendental meditation;
- mantra;
- chakra.
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Hello friends!
Even before total immersion in travel, I read a lot of literature of a so-called spiritual nature and crossed paths with people who, with their examples, showed me a simple and effective way to harmony: calming the mind.
Meditation is a type of mental exercise (based on concentration, relaxation and awareness) used as part of a spiritual, religious or health practice, or a special mental state that arises as a result of these exercises (or for other reasons).
As can be seen from the definition, meditation is both a process and a state. There are many ways to implement them, and this multitude continues to grow every day. This is facilitated not only by natural interest, but also by the accompanying increased commercialization of the so-called spheres. “spiritual development”, where a streak of dishonest bribe-takers inevitably begins to penetrate.
In Borovoe (my friend in the photo)
This trend, however, has a twofold result: on the one hand, esotericists get another toy at their disposal, on the other hand, pure practices increase even more in their own value.
In general, in RuNet, I noticed that the concept of meditation inevitably goes hand in hand with very vague definitions, such as “opening the third eye,” “merging with the divine potential,” or “esoteric wisdom.” All of them, in a certain sense, somehow reflect the experiences of the meditator, but nothing more than a one-sided projection.
Meditation has only an indirect relation to all such fantasies. Moreover, simplicity and naturalness, on the contrary, makes it a very down-to-earth and earthly technique, without big words and troubles. Although meditation in the form we know came to us from the east, it, first of all, works with your quite tangible psyche, and certainly not with divine energies and the radiance of angels.
Even Buddha initially carefully tried to cleanse it of all superstition, religiosity and ritualism. And he did not avoid turning his own teaching into an organized religion.
Of course, all people are different and therefore working practices will be different for everyone. Therefore, for some people, achieving calmness of the mind through concentration on the chakras or angelic light will be just as effective as through normal breathing.
Why does a person need meditation?
The purpose of meditation is to calm the chattering monkey called the mind. You've probably noticed how the thought process can take you into distant jungles, fantasies or deep reflection. How many problems did this cause? When, starting with a harmless thought about a walk in the park, we suddenly find ourselves drowning in anger towards the offender, who may have been dead for a long time.
However, this does not mean that the thought process should be completely stopped. This is as widespread a myth as it is a necessary esoteric component.
The peace of mind achieved is a very natural state in which the mind, like a mirror, simply reflects the coming and going of phenomena. Be it sensations in the body, thoughts or emotions that suddenly arise.
The nature of the mind is such that it is possible to stop its thought process only with the help of great tension, which we, on the contrary, are trying to get rid of. There is a contradiction that any practitioner faces with a fairly diligent attitude to practice.
The results of meditation vary:
- someone feels a surge of calm and strength
- someone solves their deep psychological problems
- someone gets rid of chronic illnesses caused by the same destructive attitudes of the mind (so-called psychosomatic diseases)
- someone overcomes stress and troubles
- someone gets inspiration for creativity
- someone gets rid of depression and neuroses
- and someone just expands their consciousness
I was once meditating in general and starting a completely new life.
However, such accompanying experiences should not be made goals. This will only increase tension and make meditation an activity “from the mind”, which, instead of liberation, will lead to stress.
If you experience other emotions and impressions, don’t worry - there are many variations here; no less than the number of people living on earth.
Before the face of Buddha in Thailand
As for subjectively experienced experience, there is no point in describing it or even reading about it. All of these are personal projections and experiences of each individual practitioner. They can easily accommodate both bright and beautiful experiences and quite frightening ones.
People often ask the question “what is the point of meditation” and confuse the cart with the horse. Meditation is a process, an immersion in the here and now.
How to learn this and where to start?
Starting to meditate is very easy. Just 2 simple steps are enough:
- sit with a straight back (stable body position)
- start observing your natural breathing (without trying to control it)
Neither lotus poses, nor seven-part poses, nor mantras, nor even closed eyes are a prerequisite for starting to meditate. Stability of posture and simple concentration with awareness are more than enough to get started.
ALL! According to one of the modern masters, Mingyur Rinpoche, meditation can be easily woven into everyday life: while cooking, walking, and even driving a car. The main condition for successful practice is awareness!
However, you should not completely reject the rest. The lotus position, mantras, eyes are the same tools as breathing and awareness. But if we can do without mantras, then we can’t do without awareness.
Of course, it is better to learn meditation under the guidance of an experienced master. Because this simple practice has a lot of side effects, which are not always easy to cope with.
How long should you meditate per day?
The answer is predictable: the bigger, the better. However, few people in our modern environment can afford to devote 4-6 hours a day to practice. And even the 2 hours recommended by Vipassana seem like a huge luxury.
And this is normal, because only monks can afford to devote so much time to practice. We are lay people, and the demand from us, adjusted for our daily bustle, will be completely different. The practice can be easily woven into our daily lives: while walking, before bed, or on the way somewhere.
The so-called comes to the rescue. "the art of small steps" Mingyur Rinpoche repeatedly speaks about him in his wonderful book “Buddha, the Brain and the Neurophysiology of Happiness.”
Its principles are as follows:
- 20 minutes a day can be a lot
- try to meditate for 2 minutes, but every day
- It is better to meditate poorly than not to meditate at all
Gradually, in a natural way, 2 minutes will grow to 5-10-15, etc., plus stable states will begin to be woven into everyday life, making even routine tasks tools for practice.
As a result, the ocean that has accumulated “drop by drop” will become a very good help and will begin to bear its beneficial fruits at the level of the deep psyche.
In the misty Himalayas
How and when this will happen is unknown to anyone. And you shouldn't concentrate on it. It is better to direct your attention to practice.
And what metamorphoses will occur thanks to it depends on the meditator. The main thing is not to stop and treat the process of meditation with a degree of patience, wisdom and discipline.
That's all, friends! I don’t know what else to say about the basic principles of meditation. Therefore, if you can add something on your own, please write in the comments.
And, traditionally: if you found the article interesting, please share it on your social networks. This is the best reward for me as an author.
I wish you a calm mind and deep awareness!
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Meditation (in Latin - I ponder, I reflect) is a type of special mental exercise used as part of a health or spiritual-religious practice, as a result of which a special mental state arises.
Meditation is a union with your inner self that helps you expand your consciousness and connect with the infinite universal source of light and wisdom. It gives a person an understanding of himself as a whole and contributes to the acquisition of personal integrity.
Meditation is one of the ways to enter an altered state of consciousness (a state of trance) in order to gain control over your thoughts, feelings and emotions.
Meditation is focusing on the essence of an object, immersing yourself in it. The process of thinking is tied to one idea, to which the mind returns after each deviation or wandering. Gradually, by practicing bringing our mind back to one object, we gain the ability to control our thoughts.
During meditation, thoughts gradually stop wandering in the mind. In higher forms, it is designed to free the mind from the subconscious habit of constantly thinking. It leads to inner peace, inner freedom and awareness of the inner Self. It also leads to serenity, clarity and bliss.
Meditation came to the Western world from India mainly thanks to Maharishi Mahesh Yoga. He created a worldwide and excellently functioning organization in which people are trained in transcendental meditation. The simplicity of the technique, coupled with effective propaganda, made it very popular.
TYPES OF MEDITATION
There are two fundamentally different types of meditation.
The first type is called meditation on emptiness. This type is quite complex, as it consists of complete mental silence and tranquility. You need to relax, completely distract yourself from all thoughts and just observe the emptiness in your head. This type of meditation can bring about what is called “enlightenment,” awareness of all things.
The second type is called meditation on one or one-pointed meditation. You need to contemplate, listen, watch or say something, that is, concentrate your attention on something. The meaning of the type of meditation on one is to gradually immerse yourself in meditation on emptiness.
The most popular objects for concentration are:
1. Concentration on your own breathing. You just need to observe, focus on your breathing, and over time the meditation will become better and better.
2. Concentration on a candle or your own reflection in the mirror. Sit comfortably and place a lit candle or mirror in front of you. Then relax and, trying not to let any thoughts enter your head, simply observe the fire or your own eyes in the reflection.
3. Concentration on inner sound. Sit comfortably, relax and try to hear the sounds in your head. Over time, you will hear a thin, clear, ringing sound - the sound of flowing energy.
4. Concentration on mantras. Sit in a comfortable position, relax and imagine that you are in a secluded place. As soon as the feeling of being in another place completely takes over you, you need to start using a mantra in Sanskrit. A type of meditation on mantras is transcendental meditation.
5. Concentration on the chakras. Each chakra has its own color, sound, taste, smell, and visual image. When meditating on a specific chakra, one concentrates first on color, then on sound, then on taste, and so on. The work of thought in this case is useless.
6. Concentrate on the subtle sensation of air touching the nostrils when inhaling and exhaling.
7. Concentration on the heartbeat.
Active meditation consists of monotonous repetition of various physical exercises or physical stress, due to which the thought process is completely blocked and the person is thus immersed in a state of trance. Active meditation is most often performed in dance, when the muscles of the whole body are involved in the same process and act in the same rhythm.
Most of all meditations are passive. During passive meditation, a person sits in a comfortable position and begins to immerse himself in his inner world. The state of absorption is achieved without any mental or emotional activity. Examples of such a passive method of self-absorption are primarily meditation forms in the traditions of Indian yoga.
Deep meditation is a reliable way to expand your own consciousness. It is based on simple formulas or mantras, which, in the process of natural calming of the psyche, gradually fade away until complete mental peace reigns and the meditator immerses himself. During deep meditation, the body quickly comes into a state of relaxation and peace, as if plunging into the depths of the ocean.
Revealing meditation requires a person to have a conscious attitude towards the actually existing reality, that is, one should form a consciousness related to the current reality. The meditator must only monitor the progress of his own action. Whether you are walking, standing, sitting, lying down or being silent, during all these and other actions you must be fully aware of what you are doing at the moment. This means that at the moment you are completely captured by one or another action.
Meaningful meditation. Looking at water, fire, clouds and many other elemental objects, many people immerse themselves in natural meditation. Using this state, specialists have developed from this basis forms of meaningful meditation in which a natural phenomenon or object is used as a starting point for a journey into inner concentration. The meditator comprehends the depth of a certain subject and is immersed in the fundamental relationships between nature and man.
Images, drawings, and photographs can also be used as a means of meaningful meditation. All attention is focused on them. The person opens up, accepts the “message” of the image, and comprehends its deep meaning.
Another type of meaningful meditation is music meditation. When you listen to music with concentration, all sorts of pictures begin to appear in your mind and you discover a new world of sounds of unexpected beauty.
PREPARATION FOR MEDITATION
Meditation has no restrictions or contraindications. Anyone can meditate, it does not require prior preparation, and meditation treatment has no side effects. The exception is severe forms of mental illness. Everyone else only benefits from meditation.
In order to start meditating, you need to choose one of the types of meditation, decide on the posture, place and time.
Most experts recommend meditating twice a day - morning and evening. In the morning, meditation will put your mind in order, give you a boost of energy, and in the evening it will relieve tension and fatigue, and relieve you of annoying thoughts and worries. Try not to miss a single session. Meditation should become a daily habit. You need to start meditating for 5 minutes, and then gradually increase it to 15 - 20 minutes.
It is best to meditate in a quiet home environment, sitting on the floor. For comfort, you can place a soft pillow. You can also meditate while sitting on a chair. Once you gain experience and meditation becomes an integral part of your life, you can meditate not only at home.
Different religious schools and directions prescribe different postures for meditation. The most important thing in choosing a pose is comfort. You need to be able to completely relax. You can even lie down, the main thing is not to fall asleep. You need to stay in the same position for a long time, so make yourself comfortable and make sure that nothing interferes with you. All people are individual and everyone chooses a position that is comfortable for themselves.
Keep your spine and neck straight while meditating. If you slouch, it will negatively affect your mind. The eyes may be slightly open or closed. Correct posture is the key to successful meditation.
Place your hands on your knees, palms up, with the tips of your index fingers touching the tips of your thumbs, this increases the energy of the body. The tip of the tongue should rest in the larynx behind the front teeth. This helps calm the mind and keep internal chatter under control.
Conducting meditation
Relax completely. This is the most important aspect of meditation. All muscles should be relaxed. Correct body posture makes it possible to achieve complete relaxation.
Concentrate on your breathing (mantra, candle). Try to turn off your thoughts. If you maintain concentration, you cannot think about something at the same time. Of course, it is very difficult to get rid of thoughts, since the brain is accustomed to constantly thinking. Changing this habit will take time.
Remain in a relaxed state without tension. Don't fight your thoughts, don't get angry or upset if you can't stay away from them. Watch your thoughts as if you were watching an uninteresting movie. Your job is to remain indifferent and ignore all these thoughts. Just look at them, but without any interest. Turning off internal dialogue is a very difficult task; it requires a very long and intense practice.
The point of meditation is not only to turn off thoughts. At this stage, your task is simply to try to observe thoughts and experiences from the outside, and not drive them away from yourself. But despite the fact that it is not possible to free yourself from thoughts for a long time, meditation brings enormous benefits.
PRACTICE OF MEDITATION
With the help of meditation you can achieve a lot: improve your health, develop superpowers, make your wishes come true.
Healing Visualization- a very powerful technique. You can use it to restore your health. Sit comfortably, relax, concentrate on breathing. See your illnesses as black spots on your body.
Imagine that you are standing under the healing streams of a waterfall, and it washes away your diseases. Feel how the healing flow of water passes not only outside your body, but also through you, taking away all the black spots, all your ailments. The water passing through you initially comes out dirty, but gradually brightens and after a while becomes crystal clear.
See yourself completely healthy. Feel positive emotions, energy, and feel rejuvenated. Meditate regularly and within two months you will see positive results.
Meditation for fulfillment of desires
Light a candle, sit about one meter away from it, relax and contemplate the flame for 3 to 5 minutes.
Close your eyes and visualize on your mental screen how you are standing in front of a very beautiful gate to a magical place where any desires come true.
Visualize the gate opening and you entering a magical place. It is beautiful, there are many flowers, trees, birds of paradise sing.
You walk along the path, go to the white board, take paints and draw your desire.
You see how the board with your desire decreases in size and flies into space. Where your message will be read by higher powers and will definitely be fulfilled.
Express your gratitude to the higher powers and return to the gate.
Leave the magical place and slowly open your eyes.
Meditation to attract money
To improve your material well-being, you can use meditation in combination with visualization. These are very powerful tools that are great for improving your financial situation. But besides meditation, you definitely need to act. Without active movements towards your goals, meditative exercises will not help.
Sit back, relax, calm down, close your eyes, concentrate on your breathing and stop (slow down) your internal chatter.
Imagine that you are entering a magical room. In the center there is a table on which there is a lot of money, various currencies, as well as gold and other jewelry. It's all yours. You enjoy your wealth, feel joy, calm confidence. You are free to do whatever you want with this wealth.
You open your briefcase, put money and jewelry there, thank the higher powers, leave the magic room and open your eyes.
Meditation for meeting your loved one
Everything in the world is interconnected and what you give to the universe will be returned to you. The Universe returns love, it rewards those who do good. The love that you gave into the world will return to you at the most unexpected moment and in the most unexpected form back.
If you want to attract love, you must radiate love. Give mental love to people you meet as you walk, give coins to those in need, give a smile or a kind word.
Take a comfortable position, calm down, relax, close your eyes, concentrate on breathing, stop the mental dialogue and begin meditation.
Imagine that you are sitting in a cozy cafe and enjoying the delicious aroma of tea or coffee.
Various men and women come up to you, give gifts and give compliments. You're welcome. You express your gratitude to them.
Here again a group of people approaches you, and along with them comes a man (woman) whom you immediately noticed. He gives you a gift for which you sincerely thank him. Are you happy. Now you have a loved one...
This meditation should be given for 3 minutes every day for 1 month.
Benefits of Meditation
The practice of meditation brings great benefits to a person.
First of all, it calms the mind, eliminates fears, depression, and aggressiveness.
Allows you to quickly get out of a stressful state.
Meditation allows you to interrupt the endless and at the same time meaningless flow of vanity and open your inner world, recognize your soul and feel your connection with the divine.
Improves a person’s emotional state and self-esteem. Gives a surge of strength, vigor and joy.
The benefits of meditation are that it has a beneficial effect on the heart and helps reduce blood pressure.
Strengthens the immune system.
Meditation allows us to see true values, get rid of cravings for things and thereby simplify life.
Increases the level of awareness of actions and actions.
Meditation teaches us to accept people as they are, with all their shortcomings, to feel one with all people and, over time, to feel love for them.
Develops creative abilities.
The benefit of meditation is that it helps us get out of the captivity of the past and teaches us to appreciate life here and now.
With the help of meditation, we find answers to the most important questions of life, which come as insight, and fill our new life with joy.
Meditation helps us find happiness. Finding our higher self, we open our hearts to the world and feel ourselves as one with it.
By practicing meditation, you will relax both body and soul. You will experience another world, the spiritual world of your subconscious. The ability to meditate will never hurt; on the contrary, it will allow you to monitor your health and look for answers to questions that interest you within yourself, in your mind.
Namaste, friends! This article contains various methods, forms and types of meditation, most of these meditation techniques and methods are quite simple and accessible to everyone. Therefore, read the article to the end, and from this large review, choose what is right for you.
Friends, I would like to introduce you to Giovani Dainstmann, an English-language author of a blog about meditation. This review is his own. Link to original text http://liveanddare.com/types-of-meditation.
With Giovanni's permission, I am publishing this article for Russian-speaking readers. Previously, I already published one of his works about, and I hope you will also like this article and help you better understand the existing techniques.
So, let's begin...
When meditating on the sounds of a mantra, it is very important to understand their meaning, then meditation gives a deeper experience and effect.
Mantras are used in the Vedic and Buddhist traditions (especially Tibetan), as well as in Jainism, Sikhism and Taoism (Taoism). Some people call mantra meditation, but this is only one of the mantras that can be used. The practice most associated with mantras is called, and consists of repeating sacred sounds (names of the Lord).
How to do it
Like many other types of meditation, this practice is done while sitting with your eyes closed. The practitioner repeats the mantra in his mind, silently, over and over throughout the session.
Sometimes this practice is combined with conscious breathing. In other exercises, mantras are spoken out loud.
“By repeating a mantra, you create a mental vibration, which allows you to move to deeper levels of consciousness.
Repeating a mantra helps you disconnect from thoughts, filling your mind so that you can slip into the gap between thoughts. A mantra is a tool to support your meditation practice. Mantras can be seen as ancient words of power with subtle energy that help us connect to spirit, the source of everything in the universe.” (Deepak Chopra)
Here are some of the most famous mantras from the Hindu tradition:
- So boorish
- Om namah shivaya
- Hari om
You can practice for a certain period of time or for a certain number of “repetitions” - usually 108 or 1008. In the latter case, to maintain a count.
Will this suit me?
People usually find it easier to concentrate with a mantra than with the breath. This is especially useful if you find it difficult to stop the flow of thoughts, since the mantra requires constant concentration.
Meditation with a mantra will help you introduce meditation into your daily activities. In any place and situation, it is enough to repeat it to yourself to create inner peace.
Transcendental Meditation
Origin and meaning
Transcendental Meditation™ is a special form of Mantra Meditation that was introduced to the world by Maharishi Mahesh in 1955. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Maharishi became famous as the teacher of the Beatles, Beach Boys and other celebrities.
This form of meditation is practiced by many practitioners around the world, and there is a large body of scientific research demonstrating the benefits of the practice. There are more than 600 scientific papers, some of which I used in my research when writing my website. However, there are also critics of the Maharishi and his organization, and some accusations of cultish behavior and questionable research practices.
How to do it
Transcendental meditation is not taught for free. The only way to learn it is to hire one of the licensed instructors.
In general, however, it is known that TM involves the use of mantras and is practiced for 15-20 minutes twice a day, sitting with eyes closed. There is no single unique mantra; the teacher selects them individually based on the gender and age of the student. They choose not “meaningless sounds” - most likely these are Tantric names of Hindu deities. Although this is probably not important for most people. This is reported by the official website of the movement: the TM website.
There is another similar method called “natural stress relief”, which was created in 2003 by a former TM teacher. It is much cheaper and has erased some of the mystical elements of TM practice, such as initiation (puja) and yogic flights (part of TM-Siddhi).
Will this suit me?
Personally, I do not feel comfortable in it and do not recommend it to others for practice.
My addition to the words of the author of the article, Giovani Dainstmenn. I believe that transcendental meditation is essentially a business where they sell you a mantra for money. There is nothing hidden in this, but simply commerce veiled by spirituality.
If you want to try something similar, but for free, then try Mantra Meditation.
Yogic Meditation
Origin and meaning
Traditional yoga has many types of meditation. In classical Yoga there are 7 steps: physical postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation techniques (pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi).
How to do it
There are many types of meditation in yoga. The most common and universal is the “third eye”.
Mentally focus on the point between the eyebrows (also called the “third eye” or “ajna chakra”). Attention is constantly focused on this stage as a tool to silence the mind. The time of “silent gap” between thoughts becomes longer and longer over time. Sometimes this is accompanied by a visual “view” of this point.
Chakra meditation
The practitioner focuses on one of the seven chakras of the body (“energy centers”), usually doing some visualizations and repeating specific mantras for each chakra (lam, vam, ram, yam, ham, om). This is most often done on the heart chakra and third eye.
Trataka Meditations
Fixing the gaze on an external object, usually a candle or a black dot. First this is done with your eyes open, then with your eyes closed. When you close your eyes, you should still keep the image of the object in your mind.
Kundalini meditation
This is a very complex system of practice. The goal is to awaken the “Kundalini energy” that lies dormant at the base of the spine, develop a number of psychic centers in the body, and finally achieve enlightenment. There are several dangers associated with this practice and it should not be attempted without the supervision of an experienced yogi.
Kriya Yoga
This is a system of breathing, meditative exercises to open the chakras. It is more suitable for those who are looking for the spiritual essence of meditation.
Sound Meditation (Nada Yoga)
Focus on sound. It begins with meditation on “external sounds”, for example using soothing ambient music. The student focuses all his attention on hearing, and with the help of it he calms down and collects his thoughts. Over time, the practice moves to the next level to hear the “inner sounds” of the body and mind. The ultimate goal is to hear the “sound of Nada”, which manifests as the vibration of “om”.
Tantra
Unlike the Western view, most tantric techniques are not based on ritual sex. Tantra is a very rich tradition that contains dozens of different contemplative practices. Here are some examples from the Vijnana-Bhairava Tantra text:
The merging of mind and feelings in the inner space, in the spiritual heart.
When one object is perceived, all other objects become empty. Focus on this emptiness. Focus on the space that appears between two thoughts.
Meditate on the occasion of any great delight.
Meditate on the feeling of pain.
Dwell on the reality that exists between pain and pleasure.
Pranayama
Regulation of breathing. It's not really meditation, but it's a great practice for calming the mind and preparing it for meditation. There are several different types of pranayama, but the simplest and most used is one: 4-4-4-4. This means, inhaling, count to 4, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds. Breathe through your nose, let your stomach move, not your chest. Repeat several such cycles. This regulation of breathing balances the mood and calms the body, and can be done anywhere.
Yoga is very rich in traditions, with different directions, so there are many other methods. But the ones mentioned above are the most famous.
Will this suit me?
With all the different types of meditation in yoga, you'll probably find one that you like. If you are a musician, then Nada Yoga may be what you need. But remember that kundalini and chakra meditation should only be done with a teacher.
Probably the simplest method that is worth trying is “opening the third eye”; this method gives results quite quickly. Other types may require more knowledge and instructions, or teachers and good books.
Self-inquiry or “I” meditation
Origin and meaning
The main task of this meditation is to “explore” our true nature, to find the answer to the question, to find out the innermost essence of our true being.
How to do it
This practice is very simple, but at the same time very subtle. This explanation, however, probably sounds abstract.
Your Self (or ego) is the center of your universe. It is there that your thoughts, emotions, memories and perceptions are formed. However, we do not know our true essence and confuse it with the body, mind, roles, etc. This is the biggest secret in our life.
In self-exploration, the question “Who am I?” is set internally. You must reject any verbal responses that may arise and use this question simply as a tool to fix the focus on the subjective sense of “I”. Become one with it, go deeper into it. Then it will show your true Self as pure consciousness, without any limitations. This is not an intellectual search, the goal is to focus on the basic elements of your perception and experience of the inner Self. It is not your personality, it is a pure, subjective feeling of existence, without any images or concepts attached to it.
Whenever thoughts/feelings arise, ask yourself, “Who is feeling this?” Or “Who experiences _____ (anger, fear, pain, or something else)?” The answer to this question will be “It’s me!” Then ask, “Who am I?” to shift the focus back to the subjective sense of self.
Another way to explain this practice is to focus the mind on your sense of being, the non-verbal "I" that shines within you. Keep it pure, without associations with your personality.
Other types of “I” meditation focus on some object, internal or external, physical or mental. There is no specific position to take, although the traditional position is useful for beginners.
Will this suit me?
This is a very powerful meditation to attract inner freedom and harmony; however, if you have no experience, it will be very difficult to complete. As an initial help to prepare, I would suggest watching some guided Muji meditations on YouTube.
3) CHINESE MEDITATIONS
Taoist Meditations
Origin and meaning
Taoist meditation is part of Chinese philosophy and religion, dating back to Lao Tzu. Living in harmony with nature is the main goal of the Tao Te Ching, founded in the 6th century BC. e. Taoism was later influenced by Buddhist meditation practices brought from India in the 8th century AD. e.
The main feature of this type is the generation, transformation and circulation of vital energy. The goal is to calm the body and mind, unite body and spirit, find inner peace and live in harmony with the Tao. Some types of Taoist meditation are aimed at healing.
How to do it
There are several different types of Taoist meditation, but they are generally divided into three:
- “epiphany”;
- "concentration";
- "visualization".
Here's a quick overview:
Contemplation of inner silence- you need to sit quietly and empty yourself of all mental images (thoughts, feelings, etc.), “forget about everything,” in order to feel the experience of inner silence and emptiness. In this state, life force and “spirit” are collected and filled. You simply allow all thoughts and sensations to arise and pass away on their own. If this turns out to be too difficult, you can try other types of meditation, such as visualization or Qigong.
Breathing meditation- focus on breathing, or “unite the mind and qi.”
The instruction is “concentrate on your breathing, let it be extremely light and calm.” Sometimes simply observing your breathing is enough (similar to meditation in Buddhism); in other traditions, exhalations and inhalations alternate in a certain way, so that one becomes aware of the “dynamism of heaven and earth” through the ascending and descending currents of the breath (similar to Tsinun or Pranayama in yoga).
Internal surveillance- look inside your body and mind, including your organs and the movement of qi (life force). It is a process of familiarizing yourself with the wisdom of nature in your body. There are certain rules to be followed in this practice, so it requires a good book or teacher.
These meditations are done while sitting in the lotus or half-lotus position. The eyes are kept half-closed and fixed on the point of the nose.
Master Liu Sichuan emphasizes that although it is not easy, ideally one should practice the work of breathing and contemplation together. For those who find this too difficult, he recommends focusing on the lower abdomen (dan tien).
Will this suit me?
People who are well connected with the body and nature will definitely enjoy Taoist meditations, and you will also enjoy reading their philosophy. Or you may be interested in martial arts or Tai Chi (Chinese health gymnastics). However, Taoist centers and teachers are not so easy to find, so this may pose a problem.
Qigong
Origin and meaning
Qigong is a Chinese word that means working with life energy (qi). This is a set of exercises, special meditations and martial arts training. As a rule, it is about slow, smooth movement of the body, internal concentration and controlled breathing. It is traditionally practiced and taught in the secret Chinese, Taoist and Confucian traditions. In the 20th century, the Qigong movement was popularized by Taoist meditation, which “works primarily through concentration exercises and also promotes the circulation of energy in the internal alchemical mode.”
How to do it
There are thousands of different Qigong exercises, which contain more than 80 different types of breathing. Some are specific to martial arts (to activate and strengthen the body); others for health (to nourish body functions or cure diseases); and others for meditation and spiritual development. Qigong can be practiced in a static position (sitting or standing) or through a dynamic set of movements.
To learn more about Qigong and understand how to do it, I recommend getting a book or DVD from Dr. Yang Min. Here is an introductory overview of the practice of seated Qigong meditation:
- Sit in a comfortable position;
- Make sure your body is balanced;
- Relax your entire body - muscles, nerves and internal organs;
- Regulate your breathing, making it deep, long and light;
- Calm your mind;
- Place your full attention on the body's center of gravity, which is two inches below your navel. This will help activate chi (vital energy). So, by focusing on this center, you accumulate energy into this natural reservoir.
- Feel the qi flowing freely throughout your body.
Other famous gymnastics: “Microcosmic circulation”, Fetal respiration.
Will this suit me?
Qigong meditation may be more attractive to people who want to practice energy work. If sitting meditation is too much for you and you'd prefer something a little more active, try some of the more dynamic forms of Qigong. Again, there are several styles of Qigong and you can try different types to try to find the one that suits you.
Some people prefer dynamic Qigong through the practice of Tai Chi.
4) CHRISTIAN MEDITATION
In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Taoism, meditation is usually used with the goal of going beyond the mind and achieving enlightenment. In Christianity, the purpose of the practice is spiritual cleansing, awareness of the Bible, and a closer connection with God.
Here are the main types of Christian practice:
Contemplative Prayer
It usually involves silent repetition of sacred words or sentences, or simply “contemplation,” which involves deep reflection on Biblical events.
“Sitting with God”
Silent meditation usually precedes contemplation or reading, in which we focus all our hearts and souls on the presence of God
Jesus prayer on the rosary
This type of practice is very similar to mantra meditation in the Vedic tradition. Because the prayer (Mantra) on the rosary is repeated, and the prayers said are counted.
5) GUIDED MEDITATIONS
Origin and meaning
Guided meditation is a modern phenomenon. These are an easy way to start, although they are based on the above traditions.
The practice of meditation requires determination and willpower. In the past, people who practiced meditation were more committed to it and also had strong ideals that fueled their motivation. Their life was simpler, with less effort.
We live in very different times now. Our life is more lively. Willpower is a less common personality trait. Distractions are everywhere, and meditation is often sought after as a means of developing better health, increasing productivity, or improving oneself.
For these reasons, this kind of meditation can actually be a good way to introduce you to the practice. I would recommend that you try meditation on your own via audio.
Guided meditation is like a ready-made recipe. This is a good way to start and you can eat the food you prepare. But when you get the basic idea, you can prepare your own unique dish, which will be especially for you, and much more powerful. Then you won't want to use a recipe from someone else's kitchen anymore.
How to do it
Such meditations are usually done in the form of audio recordings and sometimes videos. .
Traditional Meditations- audio with the teacher's voice is simply a “guide” for your attention to be in a meditative state.
Guided Imagination- allows you to use imagination and visualization, guiding you to certain objects or landscapes. The goal is usually healing or relaxation.
Relaxation- will help you achieve complete psychological and physical relaxation. This is usually accompanied by soothing instrumental music or nature sounds. In yoga this is called yoga nidra. The goal is calm and harmony.
Affirmations- usually done in combination with relaxation and guided imagination. The purpose of these affirmations is to anchor a positive thought in your mind.
Binaural beats— were originally discovered in 1839 by physicist Heinrich Wilhelm Dauphe. He discovered that when signals of two different frequencies are presented separately, one to each ear, your brain detects a change in phase between the frequencies and tries to reconcile the difference. This is used to generate Alpha waves (10 Hz) which occur in the initial levels of meditation. There is scientific research into why and how binaural beats work.
Will this suit me?
If you feel that traditional meditation is too difficult for you or you don’t know where to start, then such meditations are perfect for the initial stage. Or, if you are looking for ways to increase self-esteem, work through psychological trauma, or simply want to release some tension in your body, then among these methods you can find those that will suit you.
In custody
With all these types and varieties, you are sure to find a practice that you enjoy. You can try all these methods for yourself. But also try to find a teacher from whom you can study, this can make a significant difference on the path of spiritual development. Finding the right practice is very important.
P.S. Friends, this was an overview of various techniques from my English-speaking colleague. Of course, I do not agree with all statements. Especially when it comes to choosing the best technology. This is a rather delicate question, but for myself I have long ago decided which method is the best, but you can try everything and make your own choice. I will be glad to see your comments and wishes.
Sincerely, Ruslan Tsvirkun.
See you soon.
Good afternoon I dare to assume that since you found yourself on this blog page, it means you are ready to begin the next stage of spiritual development - meditation. I know that for beginners the most difficult thing is choosing the appropriate direction of movement. So, to make your spiritual quest easier, I suggest finding out what types of meditation exist.
Before talking about the types, you need to understand the difference between the two types of meditations, namely:
Sarguna.
Roughly speaking, this is a specific meditation where your mind's eye is directed towards a specific object. Such objects can essentially be anyone or anything, from the image of God to a stone or the fruit of a tree.
Practitioners often use the following objects for such meditation: images and statues of Indian deities and Buddhist Bodhisattvas, sacred texts, mantras in Sanskrit, the symbol of the sound Om, yantras, natural phenomena (waterfall, snow, volcano, etc.), sounds, their own breathing and many others
Meditation can be with your eyes open or with your eyes closed. It is believed that it is more effective to calm the mind when a person meditates on an object that is pleasing to his gaze and that evokes positive emotions in him. It is easier to focus on it for a long time.
Nirguna.
And this is already abstract meditation, when the mind is not directed at something specific, but contemplates everything around without focusing attention on anything. You need to be able not to focus your attention, but only to non-judgmentally state what is happening, be it emerging thoughts, sensations in the body, extraneous sounds or sounds within yourself, etc. This is a more advanced option, usually practiced with your eyes closed.
Examples of such meditation can be: meditation on the Highest Absolute (on what is beyond our understanding), meditation on positive qualities (kindness, responsiveness, etc.). But even for such meditation, concrete images are sometimes used as an intermediate stage, for example, a blank sheet of paper.
Yogic meditations
For those who have read my article about, it is no secret that meditation (or dhyana) is the penultimate stage of perfection in yoga. The prerequisites for it and its simplest forms are present at the previous stages, but it is at the seventh stage of Ashtanga yoga that the yogi devotes all his time to meditation.
Achieving the ultimate goal of practice (trance, nirvana, enlightenment - there are many names) becomes possible only if you continuously work on your consciousness over a long period of time.
Many people come to this only at the end of life or in old age. There are a huge number of ways to meditate and it is impossible to list them all. I will tell you about the most famous, common and safe ones.
Breathing Meditation . It involves concentrating the thought process on your breathing. It is necessary to monitor all stages of the breathing cycle: feel how the air enters you, fills your lungs, and then slowly leaves.
Chakra meditation. This is an alternate meditation on each of the seven chakras. Knowing their location, you direct your inner gaze to the area of one chakra or another, visualize its presence, color, remember what manifestations of life it is responsible for, imagine how it glows and fills you with energy.
Meditation for opening the third eye
. Closing his eyes, a person directs his inner gaze to the area between the eyebrows and, as it were, looks at the world through this area. Observe what you see. When performed correctly, an interesting physical sensation appears in the third eye area, which can be vaguely compared to tickling. 
Chidakasha dharana . This is focusing attention on the inner space of consciousness. To do this, you need to close your eyes and look straight ahead as if you had your eyes open. You will find that there is a space within you that can also be observed. The color of the space can be any. There may also be subtle movement - this is energy moving within you.
Trataka meditation. This is focusing attention on an external object. The object can be anything, but most often they see a flame of fire, a yantra, the Om symbol, etc. To begin with, they gaze intently at the selected object for a long time, then close their eyes and try to see the same object with their eyes closed. If everything is done correctly, then in your mind's eye you will continue to see your object or its luminous silhouette. It is beneficial for the eyes to perform trataka before going to bed.
Japa meditation.
This is the repetition of any auspicious mantra while simultaneously fingering the beads on the rosary. One repetition of the mantra is associated with one bead. In this way, the practitioner occupies both the mind and the sense of touch, thereby leaving no room for other thoughts. In addition, the mantra itself provides a powerful effect for spiritual progress. 
Kundalini meditation. Kundalini is an energy that is usually inactive and is located at the very beginning of the spinal column. Practitioners use it as an additional source of energy: they activate and lift it up along the spine, filling the chakras with it. There are many techniques for this, many of them were developed by Osho. It is believed that the consequences of such practices are unpredictable, and therefore I strongly recommend that only trained people use them.
Meditation on sound . Teaches us to hear the subtle vibrations of our being, which in ordinary life are drowned out by external stimuli. To do this, the meditator sits in a quiet room, closes his ears and tries to hear the sounds within himself. It may take a long time, but sooner or later you will hear a subtle sound emanating from your consciousness. This is the flow of energy. You need to immerse all your attention in this sound. This meditation is called nada yoga.
Mantra meditation. This is an element of mantra yoga. Mantras are used here as filler for the mind so that no other thoughts can come to mind. By repeating the same mantra, a person tunes his consciousness to an elevated state. In addition, there are mantras that specifically improve progress in meditation.
Buddhist meditations
The Buddhist approach to spiritual development has its own unique nature, and therefore meditation in Buddhism is somewhat different. Most of them are hidden from the minds of ordinary people and are transmitted orally from gurus, but there are also those that have become available to a wide circle. Here are some of them.
Mindful breathing meditation. The practitioner tracks each inhalation and exhalation, additionally counting each cycle. The digital countdown here plays the role of additional attention in practice. As a result, it is more difficult for the mind to integrate any extraneous thoughts, and with time of practice they gradually recede.
Visualization. It involves not only reproducing previously seen images of Buddhas and Bothisattvas, but also working with the imagination. Most often, various actions are imagined around holy personalities, for example, associated with a glow around their body or the appearance of a dense ball of light in certain parts of the body.
Vipassana. Or in other words, contemplation of the impermanence of all things. Such meditation allows you to eradicate the craving for constancy and realize that everything certainly changes and does not stand still. Constant practice helps to get rid of the fear of death, poverty and other losses. As a result, such contemplation calms the mind and allows it to focus on spiritual growth.
Metta Bhavana. The practice is to develop love and compassion for all living beings. To do this, the practitioner sits with his eyes closed and tunes in to a friendly attitude, first towards himself, then towards a friend, then towards a person for whom you do not feel any emotions and, finally, towards your enemy or someone simply unpleasant to you.
When you have already shown your friendliness to all four, extend it to all living beings and the world as a whole. Remembering the infinite virtue of the great Bothisattvas, for example, the goddess Tara, can help in this.
Conclusion
I have listed only a tiny part of the vast experience of Buddhist meditation that exists. As you can see, the experience is quite exciting, not boring, and on top of everything else, it probably works and brings the desired results.
All I have to do is remind you that you can prepare for meditation techniques in our cozy sunny Indigo studio, where I am one of the hatha yoga teachers. And if this doesn’t interest you, then some of your friends will definitely be interested, so don’t be lazy to repost the article on a social network.
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